1. Field of the invention.
The present invention relates to wheelchairs and more particularly to a vehicle attached support for transporting a foldable type wheelchair.
The structural design of automotive vehicles, particularly those commonly referred to as economy or compact models do not permit ease of loading and unloading a wheelchair of the collapsible or folding type into the passenger compartment or trunk area of the vehicle. Even in those vehicles of larger mass, the loading of a folding wheelchair into the passenger compartment or trunk area is not easily accomplished particularly by an individual of small stature.
This invention overcomes the inconvenience of transporting a foldable wheelchair by providing a tilting framework connected with the rearward end of an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the prior art.
The most pertinent prior U.S. Pat. is believed to be No. 4,213,729 which discloses a vehicle bumper mounted normally horizontal platform receiving and supporting the respective wheels of a wheelchair by shallow sockets therein in which the platform is tiltable about a horizontal axis toward and away from the surface of the earth. The wheelchair is loaded on the downward tilted platform by manually tilting the chair about the axis of its large wheels to lift its forward end wheels and dispose all four wheels within the platform sockets. While holding the wheelchair in this position a locking bar is moved into large wheel securing position. The platform and chair are then manually tilted to and secured in a transport position.
The present invention is distinctive over this patent by eliminating the major portion of the several small pivotally interconnected components of the patent to provide a simple open framework, substantially right triangular in side elevation, and pivotally connected at one end of its base for vertical pivoting movement of the other end of its base about a horizontal axis toward and away from the surface of the earth in which the frame surrounds a substantial portion of a folded wheelchair when disposed therein.